M5.1 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.1 Earthquake near 129 km E of Yamada, Japan

UTC time: 2026-04-20 12:56:45 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On April 20, 2026 at 12:56 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near 129 km E of Yamada, Japan. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-04-20 12:56:45 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
usgs
Coordinates
39.58890, 143.44850
Temperature
10.9°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Yamada129.2 kmW15'195
Hachinohe194.4 kmNW239'046
Sendai267.4 kmSW1'096'704

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Iwatesan
    Distance: 211 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'038 m ·Last eruption: 1919 ·Japan
  • Hachimantai
    Distance: 225 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'613 m ·Last eruption: -5350 ·Japan
  • Akita-Komagatake
    Distance: 228 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'637 m ·Last eruption: 1971 ·Japan
  • Akita-Yakeyama
    Distance: 234 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'366 m ·Last eruption: 1997 ·Japan
  • Kurikomayama
    Distance: 239 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'627 m ·Last eruption: 1950 ·Japan
  • Towada
    Distance: 241 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 1'011 m ·Last eruption: 915 ·Japan

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours7
First 24 hours18
First 72 hours47
Strongest subsequent eventM6.7

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#155
Earlier events M≥4338
Earlier events M≥5197
Compared since2025-01-05

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
657
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
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